Black Remnant

-Nin's Hideout-

"Please don't punch me again... I swear, I'm just lost..." Begging not to be knocked out again, the weakling closed his eyes waiting for what he expected to happen.

Nin, on the other hand, looked at her protectors and signaled something. In the end, she wanted to hide the truth about her for some reason. In the first place, she doesn't expect much from her brother knowing that after 10 years, the weakling didn't even manage to improve at all, a failure of a genius.

"Ai, it looks like we're going back to the city after all. Head Leader Tanti is really mad, you'll get the scolding of your life, believe me..." Duno, even after saying that, is still worried because he let out the brat not knowing that the brat could drive the wolves away. He wanted to make it a lesson for the youth and catch up to him before he dies but instead, they had to track him down after endlessly walking through the forest.

"I don't think I'll be the only one who will be having the scolding of my life... And why are you with that dangerous bit-"

"Shhh... you don't want to say that in front of her... Do you want to die?!" Duno worriedly closed the idiot's mouth with his hand.

To his mind, 'It's not a good way to call your sister, dimwit!' but he can't say it. Yes, it's true that her sister kind of became a strong and independent young lady but still, she doesn't deserve to be called that way.

"Still... that girl knocked me out twice... and I tell you now, it's not fun at all. Though, can you please untie me?" Though, the young lady didn't agree to his demand.

'Don't worry, kid... we all feel you.' Duno's subordinate can somehow relate to what happened to him. Their young princess seems to love to knock people out.

"I don't think that's a good plan, Ai. We don't want you running away again. Anyway, miss...-" Duno forgot that he can't use the princess' real name.

"Call me Kin, and it seems I would love to enroll in the academy." Everyone was surprised by her decision. Staying in the forest would be safer but one smart person said, "The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look."

"I guess we are going to escort you too back to the city, young miss." Duno, finally agreed, if that's what their princess wants then they have to obey.

"Teacher, I guess I have to get going now. You are not a just teacher, but also a family to me. This is the start of my journey." The young princess has finally decided to end her training and to start her one and only purpose, revenge.

"Why so formal now, my child? It's not like I'm going anywhere, like a family, I will always be waiting for you. I've taught you all the knowledge and training you needed to survive this unforgiving world. But before leaving, I think I can help this young man somehow..." The young weakling somehow caught the attention of the princess' teacher. He felt something within him... somewhat unordinary.

'This old geezer, he's strong...' The more the old teacher gets near the young weakling, the more he feels the pressure.

'What? Brother can sense my teacher's aura... even the others couldn't. Only master rank or higher can see and feel other's aura. No wonder my teacher took an interest in him.

The teacher looked at him carefully and somehow... even his heightened Qi senses couldn't tell what's wrong with the young weakling so he has to use a higher rank of sensing ability.

Suddenly... everyone felt tremendous pressure. Even the young princess fell to her knees like the others. Even a master rank couldn't stand in front of the old geezer. She looked at her teacher and to her surprise, he's using Black Petal Arts.

"BLACK PETAL AURA! RANK 8!" A sudden gust of wind swept away knocking everything away from the teacher. The old man's body started to show muscles and strength releasing a black aura of unrivaled power and not only that, his eyes glowed white increasing his true sight dramatically.

'Shit! Am I gonna die?! I thought this old geezer said he'd help me!' The only thing the young weakling could do to fight the pressure is to bite his lips and focus his mind to feel the pain to avoid passing out.

'This power... even the Head Leader Tanti couldn't breakthrough Black Arts to rank 8. He must be stronger than the Head Leader...' Duno knows how powerful the Head Leader is seeing someone stronger than him, he's really amazed and scared at the same time.

*SWOOSH* The black aura that envelopes the old man finally dispersed while letting a sigh relieving the teacher from the stress of using that kind of power. Not only the teacher could use that high level of Black Arts but the sacrifice of using that much power should not be too little to the point it's too unnoticeable. Unlike the Head Leader, using Black Art Rank 7 would make him spew blood and pass out after the duration of the ability.

"No wonder you're this weak. It's not normal for your age to not even break to disciple level 2. I bet your father hated you to even do this to you." The teacher found the reason why this is happening to him. Though, it challenged him to even use High-Rank Black Arts.

"What did you just say?! Untie me and I'll rip your sorry old ass!" It seems the idiot really is affected by the words of the teacher. He may have done it on purpose.

The young princess' brows started to reach each other due to what she's heard. Yes, it not good to include their father to this but it's not enough reason to behave like this in front of her teacher but her teacher signaled her to stay out of it.

Without even moving, the ropes that tied to the young idiot's body got cut by the old man's power giving him the freedom he was seeking to teach an old geezer a lesson. Though, this time, the old geezer increased the intensity of Qi Release combined with a higher level of Intimidation Art. Hot-headed may be, Ai knows he can't win against the old geezer after he saw what the geezer can do but what the geezer told him is enough to make him stand straight with all the pressure he is feeling right now.

'Ohooo, being able to stand up even after I used a high level of Intimidation art. I admire his bravery but that won't be enough. I need to give him motivation.' The geezer saw how he couldn't stand any longer. Walking to him would be out of the question.

'Shit... how is this even possible! I can't even lift my foot up or even pull my hands up! He's a monster! I can't go on any longer!' One knee finally gave in and hit the ground. This young weakling did his best but it's not even enough to lift his head to see the old geezer.

"If you can even reach me, I will make you reach the 5th level of disciple and teach you the first rank of Black Petal Aura."

'How about that for motivation?' In reality, he already knows that the kid already reached a higher rank no one could ever believe.

"Then you got a deal old geezer!" A reward like that, even if he dies, he will do everything to even reach the 2nd level of disciple.

The young weakling gave in and sat on his feet but it's not to give up. He put every energy left he has on his legs jumping like a frog reaching for the old man.

"HORYAAAAAH!" He even twisted his shoulder to force his arms to move forward. Even breaking his shoulder just to reach the old geezer. He gave everything he has and-

"Almost! Haha!" Well, the old geezer moved one step back before the weakling finally reach him with his hand. But everyone looked at him with dismay. The young princess knows that her teacher hates losing but it's not fair for him.

"That's low, even for you, teacher..." That somehow hurt the old geezer's feeling. Though, the youngster suffered more. He dislocated his shoulder and even both his legs couldn't even budge anymore...

"Ugh... fine..." The old geezer finally realized that he did something awful and so he readied his right hand raising only two fingers. Light suddenly enveloped his two fingers and then he swiftly tapped those two fingers to the idiot's injuries and lastly...

"BLACK ARTS UNSEAL!" That light coming from those two fingers became darkness and tapped on the weakling's right hand.

'What is going on?! How come Qi started flowing to his hand with just like that?! ' The princess couldn't believe what she's seeing. Unlike before having an only core Qi point, there are now two Qi points on his body that releases Qi, his core which releases weak Qi and his hand that emits a significant amount of Qi.

The others can't seem to avoid staring at what is happening. The weakling's injuries started to heal and for some reason, his body seems to look stronger and more fit than before.

'I was right. His father should have sealed his Qi release points but left open his Qi receive points. This sealing technique does not only make a person forever stuck to being a normal person because he won't be able to release Qi until unsealed but his father also used an advanced one and it's tricky. For a person to cultivate Qi, he should be at least half-awake or else the person won't be able to continue cultivating and the Qi will just be released and wasted so sleeping means no progress but with this advanced sealing technique, he can still receive Qi and because Qi release is sealed, it remains to his body and the progress goes on making him progress faster than anybody else. Still, it must have been hard for the kid being a weakling not knowing he can do amazing stuff like this.' Still amazed by what the teacher is seeing, he felt sympathy for the weakling due to him being powerless.

"Wow... what is this feeling! I feel much better now. I feel like my strength from when I was 8 years old came back!" The weakling was already level 5 disciple before the war and now, he managed to regain the same feeling.

"Yeah, yeah. But that's not just it." The teacher put out his hands in front of the idiot and then, the ring on the teacher's finger started glowing and out of nowhere, a black old book appeared on top of the teacher's hand.

"Here, it might take a while for you to learn this but if you do, believe me, even a King won't be happy of the result." At that moment, the kid couldn't understand the words of the old geezer but his eyes glowed of determination knowing he's not as weak as before.

"I gladly accept this rewards for humiliating me in front of the others, it's not like I'm not used to it so it's ok. Just next time, don't include my family or else-"

"Or else what?!" The idiot got scared to the point he instinctively hopped back...

"No... nothing..." Finally, it's done with the idiot.

The teacher looked at his young disciple.

"Anyway, I guess it's time for you guys to leave and I won't delay you guys any further. For my young disciple, you are strong and you might think you know better than anybody else now but don't forget to be careful, there are more people stronger and smarter than you in this realm. You must know when to avoid danger. And for you, patrols, you know what to do. Now get out of here and let the old man rest." The old teacher said his goodbye walking away going back to his humble home while the others bowed their heads.

"Thank you, teacher!" And so, the idiot, in the end, has no choice but to go back to the place he used to call home and now as his prison.